Cost computing meter



Nv. 5, 1946. w. J. PEARsoN COST COMPUTING METER Filed March 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet l" Tbl/NE:

` IVENTOR. 4 TVI-L Nov. 5, 1946. uw. J. PEAR'soN 2,410,743

cos'r COMPUTING METER l Filed lax-ch 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig'. 3.,

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Nov. 5, 1946. w. J. PEARSON 2.4109743 cos'r colru'rme us'mn Filed March 5. 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 BQ/ M w, J. PEARsoN COST COMPUTING METER Filed March 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 I: f Y

Nov. 5, 1946 INVENTDR. FWZ/.IAM zHEAEsaN,

Nov. 5, 1946.` w. J; PEARsoN 2,410,743

COST COMPUTING METER Filed llarch 5., 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fiied laren 5, 1943 12 sheets-'sheet 7 l v INVENTOR. WAL/.4M rZ'f Nov. 5, 1946. w. J. PEARSQN 2,410,743

cosi* COMPUTING METER Filed uarcn 5, 1943 12 sheets-sheet 8 au I Gc 60275 79 97 95.515- 954.9515 372,94 385 N0 5, 1946- w. J. PEARsoN COST COMPUTING ETER Filed Ilarch 5. 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVDJT OR. kwas-0N,

WLL/M BY I Nov. 5, 1946. w. J. .'EARSON 2,410,743

cosr colru'nne naman Filed Ilarch 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 .m9 m M w w 503 l nl a e .me m ,156 116 47e 2 157 j 155 f 5w ,ff l l el uw m W. J. PEARSON 412 Sheets-Sheet 12 INVENT OR.

- cosT COMPUTING umm 'Filed umm 5. 194s Patented Nov. 5,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COST COMPUTING METER Application March 5, 1943, Serial No. 478,157

33 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally'to meter registering and recording means for continuously registering and periodically recording the consumption of and charge made for an energy or substance furnished by a utility company, such as electrical energy, gas or Water. However, while the invention is particularly applicable in connection with the furnishing of utility services, and is hereinafter described illustratively in that connection, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and may have wider application.

This present application is a continuation in part of and substitution for my -prior application entitled Meter recorder, filed May 16, 1939,

Serial No. 273,981.

As is well known, it is the common present This reading is carried back to the oillces of the company, the charge calculated, and the bill mailed out. Owing to the sliding scale usually in effect, under which the rate of charge is reduced one or more times for consumptions over certain predetermined quantities, the labor involved in computation of the -bills alone is somewhat substantial. That, together with the labor of printing the bills and mailing them out, amounts in the aggregate to a relatively heavy burden. It has been recognized a long while by utility companies that great savings would be effected by the provision of a suitable meter recorder which would both calculate and print the consumers bill at his premises. The problem of providing such a recorder, however, involves very great difliculties, as there are many complicating factors to be taken into account.

The general object of the present invention is accordingly to provide a meter recorder of good mechanical design Acapable of computing costs on a sliding scale basis and of periodically printing a bill.

Conventional meters register total consumption since Athe date of installation of the meter, and a given reading must always be subtracted from4 a previous reading to obtain the total for the period. This involves several evident disadvantages, including the disadvantage to the consumer that hercannot easily ascertain the quantity of electricity, for example; that he using.

A feature of the present invention is the protaking into account the sliding scale charge rates in eilect. The consumer can ,accordingly always easily ascertain the quantity of-energy consumed since the last reckoning', and the cost thereof. A v Utility companies usually set a minimum charge for each months service. A further feature of the invention is accordingly the provision of means whereby the quantity registration and recordation mechanism is reset to zero, .but the cost registration and recordation mechanism is reset to the minimum service charge, and remains inactive until consumption kequivalent .to such charge has occurred.

In accordance with the present invention, the meter recorder is periodically operated by a meterv reader or operator, sent out by the utility company, to print the bill for the preceding months service. This operation, as above indicated, not

only prints the bill, but resets the recorder. Pref-` erably, and as provided in accordance with the present invention, the bill is printed in triplicate, so that two copies may be left with the consumer, one to be forwarded with his remittance, and the third turned in to the service company' by the operator.

Assuming for example. the case of a meter recorder in accordance with the invention adapted for use n connection with a kilowatt hour meter, a mechanismv is provided adapted to be driven ahead in successive impulses in accordance with selected units of consumption, for instance, a tenth f a kilowatt. This mechanism 4includes visible and printing countersfdirectly `vision of a meter recorder designed to be reset to zero at the time each bill is printed, andv advanced in accordance with the occurrence of such impulses, one step for each impulse. The mechanism also `includes visible and printing price counters, and a plurality of ratedetermining means, one for each rate to be in eiiect, and driven at different rates by said impulses. These rate determining means are successively placed in effect to cause operation of the price counters at different rates of accumulation. These rate determining means preferably comprise rotating elements, such as cams, adapted to be rotated through different angular extents upon the ocaccumulative energy consumption.l The iirst cam to go into effect of course sets the highest rate of charge, and succeeding cams successively lower the charge rate. In a first phase of operation, the recorder having been reset to zero vconsumption, and to a minimum service charge, none of the cams are in effect. The throwing of the Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating theV relation between the meter recorder of the present invention and the rotor of a conventional kilowatt hour meter;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the meter recorder with the front cover removed, and with some parts broken away, to reveal 'underlying mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the meter recorder, being a view taken as indicated by broken line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3,

, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 5a is a view showing certain parts of Fig. 5 in another operating position;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 'I is a section taken on broken line 'i-Ji of Fig. 3;

Fig. 81s a view showing certain operative parts of Fig. 'l in an alternative position;

Fig. 9 is another view showing certain operative parts of Fig. l in another operating position;

Fig. 9a is a detail view of a trip lever and mounting;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the meter recorder, certain parts being broken' away, and certain underlying parts being omitted;

Fig. 11 is a cross-section on line iI-II of Fig.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing another operating position;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged and partially broken away front elevational view .of the upper portion of the meter recorder, being similar to a portion of Fig. 3, but showing an alternative operating position;

Fig. 13a is a, detail section on line |3a--I3a of Fig. 13;

Fig. 13h15 a detac section on une lsolab of Fig. 13;

Fig. 14 is a section taken on line Il-H of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail section taken in accordance with line |5--I5 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a cross-section taken on line iE--IS of Fig. 15;

Fig, 17 is a section on broken line i'i--Ii of Fig. 3:

Fig. 18 is section online I8--i8 of Fig. 17; Fig. 19 is a view on brokenline |9--i9 of Fig. 3; Fig. 20 is a section on line 2li-20 of Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is a section on line 2i--2i of Fig. 20; Fig. 22 is a section on linen-22 of Fig. 5; Fig. 23 is a sectionon line 23-23 of Fig. 22; Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing an alternative form of the invention; and I Fig. 25 is a view showing an illustrative electrical circuit adapted for the modification of Fig. 24. l

s The invention will be disclosed through dc-V may be gathered; it being evident that the invention may be redesigned in such manner that the kilowatt hour meter and meter recorder form 'one instrument, and it being further evident that 10 by the provision of suitably modiiled actuating means, the meter recorder of the invention may be used inconjunction with gas or water meters,

` or in other analogous uses. For convenience of understanding, the meter recorder may be subdivided in description into certain components under appropriate subheadings, though the descriptions thereunder are necessarily somewhat overlapping.

` Ac'tuating means 20 A typical actuating means in accordance with the invention will first be described. In Fig. 2, the rotor of a conventional irilowatt hour meter is indicated diagrammatically at R, and this rotor is shown as rotating a sliait at the upper end of which is a worm 3 l. The worm 3| meshes with a worm wheel l2 upon a shaft 33, on which is mounted a switch actuating cam 34. The shafts 3U and 33 will be understood to be mounted for rotation in any suitable bearings, not illustrated, and it 'will be understood that the rate of rotation of rotor R, and of shafts 3l] and 33, is in proportion to consumption of electrical energy. Cam 34 has a lobe 35 adapted to alternately close a pair of normally open switches S1 and Sz, which are positioned in 180 opposition with reference to the cam. In the position shown in Fig. 2, lthe movable arm of switch Si :is being engaged by cam lobe 35 and so held in closed position, while Ithe movable arm of switch 52 is in open position. It will be understood that when cam 3d has rotated through 180, switch En will be open and switch S2 will be closed. The two movable or cam operated arms of switches Si and S2 are oonnected by lead 36 to one side of the line, which may be the usual 110 volt A.. C. supply circuit. The switches Si and S2 and their actuating cam 34 as well as shaft 33 and gears 3i and 32 are preferably installed inside the housing of the kilowatt hour meter, and are constructed to such scale that no change or enlargement of the meter housing is required. The worm 3l and worm tact will be made at either switch S1 or S2 for every tenth of a kilowatt hour registered by the kilowatt hour meter.

The two outside or stationary arms of switches' S1 and S2 are connected by leads 31 and 38, respectively, to the two stationary, outside arms 60. of a pair of normally open switches S3 and S4 located within the later described meter recorder housing. The two inside or movable arms of switches S3 and S4 are on opposite sides of a cam IIJ, driven as later described from an electric motor 55 M, also located within the meter recorder housing. Cam 4D has a surface 4I of uniform radius and of at least 180 in circumferential extension adapted to engage the two movable arms of switches Saand S4 and to hold said arms in closed position. At the 'end of this cam'surface 4| is a shoulder 42 adapted to permit the movable switch arms to move towards the center of the cam to open the switches, and shoulder 42 is connected with the other or forward end of cam surface 4i by a surface 43 of gradually increasing such disclosure the full scope of the invention i wheel 32 are preferably so designed that a conthe motor M.

radius. The two movable or cam actuated arms of switches S3 and S4 are connected by lead 45 to one side of motor M and the other side of said motor is connected to line, as indicated. The actuating means may be considered as also'including certain later-described gear operated by' /Operation of the actuating means is as follows: electrical energy being consumed, rotor R of the kilowatt/hour meter is in rotation at a ,rate of speed governed by the rate of energy consumption, and, as explained above, cam 34 rotates at such speed that switches S1 and S2 are alternately closed, one switch closure occurring for each th of a kilowattv hour of electrical energy consumed. Assume-first cam 40 to be intheposition indicated in dotted lines, so that switch S4 'would then be in open position and switch S3 in closed position. Then, as cam' 34 closes switch S1, a circuit is .completed from the line Via lead 36 to switch/Sr,

thence va lead 31 to switch S3, and from switch?l Sa via lead 45 to motor M, and so back to the other side of the line. Motor M will then be energized, and will drive cam 40 in the direction of the arrow. In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, cam 40 has rotated nearly 180 from the dotted line starting position, and has moved the movable arm ofv switch S4 to closed position, while its shoulder 42 is about to move past the movable arm of switch S3 and so permit the latter to open.

This lastwill occur when cam 40 has moved exactly 180 from its starting position, and at such time switch S3 will be open and switch S4 closed. The circuit to motor M is then opened, since, although switch S4 is closed, switch Sz remains open. In subsequent rotation of meter driven cam 34, switch Si will be open and switch S2 closed, whereupon motor M will be energized through switch S4 and cam 40 will rotate through 180 Aand then stop, as before.. Thus, foreach closure of switches Si and S2, motor M is energized 6 from panel F near the lower edge of the latter. The shaft 56 of motor M carries Aa spur gear 51,

.which meshes with a spur gear 58, of twice the diameter as gear 51 (Figs. 4 and '1). Gear 58 is supported for rotation in any suitable manner, as for instance by means of a stub shaft 59 (Fig. 7) suitably journaled in a bearing, not shown,

carried by a bracket 60 projecting from frame panel F. The cam 40 is secured to one face of this gear 58. The switches Ss and S4 are carried by an insulation block 64 mounted on a bracket 65 pro- Jecting from panel F. Motor shaft y' also carries, outside of gear 51, an eccentri 66 around and opens either switch S3 or S4, thereby arresting the rotation of motor M, eccentric 66 and push rod and vdrives cam 40 through a half-revolution,` whereupony the motor is deenergized and stops.

This periodic operatonof the motor is utilized to reciprocate certain later described members to actuate the meter recorder.

-Meter recorder housing and framework As mentioned heretofore, the meter recorder may be built in as an auxiliary attachment to or r part of the conventional kilowatt hour meter, or

unit in a separate housing. As h'ere illustrated (Figs. 1 and 5) vthe meter recorder housing comprises-av casing C bolted to a vertical back frame or panel F Which supports the operating parts through suitable brackets secured to and projecting forwardlytherefrom. Casing C embodies an upper vertically disposed front wall portion C1 provided with upper and lower windows and 5| through which the later-described kilowatt hour and price registers or counters are visible. Wall portion C1 merges with a forwardly extending wall portion C2, which in turn merges with alower vertically disposed front wall portion C3 located somewhat forwardly of wall portion C1, and this lower front wall portion C3 merges with the horizontal bottom wall C4 of the casing. Horizontal casing wall portions Cz and C4 are provided with vertically aligned slots 52 and 53, through which the later described bill to be printed is inserted and removed.

The previously mentioned electric motor M isI here shown as mounted in the bottom of casing C (Fig. 7) as for example on a bracket 56 projecting 68 are at the top of their stroke, as in Fig. '1. It will be evident, therefore, that for each tenth kilowatt'hour of electrical energy consumed, push rod 68 will travel through one complete down' nected to a gear segment 1 8 pivotally mounted f on one end portion of a horizontal shaft 11|/which is rotatably supported in 'bearings 12 formedon a pair of brackets 13a and 13b projecting from panel F (see Fig. 10). Gear segment 10 meshes with and reciprocates a gear segment 15 which is keyed to a sleeve 16 (Fig. 10) `mounted for free rotation on a horzontal shaft 11 extending through the outer end portions of the aforementioned brackets 13a and 13b, sleeve 16 being provided with bearing in the outer end portion of bracket 13a, as clearly appears in Fig. 10.

Welded or otherwise joined to sleeve 16 immediately inside bracket 13a, is one arm 19 of a yoke 80, said arm 19 being rotatable on shaft 11, and the other arm 8| of the yoke likewise being rotatable on shaft 11 at a point immediately inside the other bracket 13b (Figs. 10 and 13).

This yoke 80 thus makes a rotative reciprocation (down and up) on shaft 11 with each reciprocation of push rod 68, being so operated by the meshing gear segments 104 and 15.

Mounted `between the arms 19 and 8| of yoke 89 -is what I may term a multiple pawl 85, the latter comprising a bar 86 having pawl teeth 81, 88, 89, 90 and 9| mounted thereon at graduated angles or angular positions, the teeth and bar comprising an integral structure (Figs. 10 and 1l. The angular separation of the pawl teeth is such that but one is operative to drive the later-described counter wheels at a time, as will appear. The end portions of bar 86 are pivotally mounted in yoke arms 19 and 8|', in the manner indicated in Fig. 10.

These pawls are longitudinally spaced on the wheel 94.

toothed disc has, between two of the teeth |00,

a relatively deep notch IOI adapted to receive the corresponding pawl tooth, for a purpose and in a manner presently to appear.

As mentioned above, the counter wheels are independently mounted for free rotation on the shaft 11, which is stationary excepting during resetting, and rotation of the counter wheels in a direction reverse to that imparted by the pawl teeth is prevented by a spring actuated detent |02 engageable with successive teeth |00, as seen best in Figs. 11 and 12. A coil spring |04 wound around bar B8 of multiple pawl 95 is anchored at one end ltothe yoke and the other end to one of the pawls, as B1 (see Fig. 11), and serves to urge the multiple pawl into engagement with the toothed discs.

Assuming all the counter wheels to be set to read 0, as in Fig. 3,y the first reciprocation of yoke 80 brings first pawl tooth 81 into engagement with the nearest tooth on first toothed disc 93, moving first counter wheel 93 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 11 through a distance corresponding to the spacing of the teeth |00, and thereby moving numeral 1 into position before the window 50. The counter starting at 0, the toothed discs 93 will initially be in the position oi Fig. 11, with the pawl teeth ready to engage the rst tooth |00 in back of notch |0|. Successive energizations of motor M through the means described then cause successive actuations of toothed disc 93 and counter wheel 93' by pawl tooth 81, causing succeeding numbers on the counter wheel 93 to be moved up into position until the numeral 9 is passed, whereuponpawl tooth 91 drops into V-shaped notch |0| in di-sc 93, the Whole multiple pawl structure swinging closer to the counter Wheels. Thereupon second pawl tooth 88 engages the toothed disc 94 associated with second counter On the next reciprocation of yoke 80, rst toothed disc 93 will again be advanced, pawl tooth 91 acting thereon within the notch |0|,

`while at the same time, second pawl 88 engages the rst tooth |00 of second toothed disc 94 and advances the latter and its counter wheel 94' one step. First toothed disc 93 and associated counter wheel 93' are then back in the zero'position of Fig. 11, while second toothed disc 94 andits counterwheel 94' have been advanced so that numeral 1 is now in position. In other words, the counter now registers 00010. The multiple pawl 85 is also back in the position of Fig. 11. It will thus be evident that each time first counter wheel 93 moves from the 9 position to the 0 position, second counter wheel 94 is advanced one step. And it will be further evident that as second counter wheel 94' is nally advanced from the 9 position to 0 position, the second pawl 88 will at such time be working within the notch |0| in second toothed disc 94, permitting third pawl 99 to engage the'toothed disc associated with the third counter wheel, thus vadvancing the latter one step. Fig. 12 shows a typical position in which the ilrst four pawls have dropped within the respective V-notches, bringing fth pawl 9| into position to engage fifth toothed disc 91. Thus each time each counter wheel moves through the last step to complete a revolutionl and comes back to zero, the next counter wheel in the series is advanced one step. Operation of the counter is thus progressive in multiple counts of ten.

Since each venergization of motor M effecting a reciprocation of yoke 00 corresponds with consumption of one-tenth o f a kilowatt hour, counter wheel 93 registers tenths of a kilowatt hour, counter wheel 94 registers unit kilowatt hours, counter wheel 95 registers tens of kilowatt hours, and so on. Thus the total capacity of the counter is 9,999.9 kilowatt hours.

v Printing kilowatt hour counter The printing kilowatt hour counter designated generally by numeral ||0 (see Fig. 3), embodies a series of type wheels ||2, ||3, ||4 and IIB, corresponding respectively to Visible counterwheels 93', 94', et seq., rotatably supported on a rotatable horizontal shaft ||6 (see also Figs. 5, 22 and 23), arranged in the lower portion of casing C, somewhat forwardly of visible counter wheel shaft 11. The type counter wheels ||2, et seq., are arranged on their shaft I|6 in reversed order from the corresponding counter wheels 93', 94', et seq., and the numerals thereon are reversed right for left, as is required for printing. Further, the type wheel i at the left end of the series is provided with decimal points which will print to the left of the numerals of that wheel. The shaft I6 is journalled near one end in a sleeve 60a (Fig. 22), which is in turn rotatably supported in a bearing 60h formed on the outer end of the aforementioned bracket 60,

and near its other end, shaft |16 is journalled in a bearing ||1a formed on the outer end of a bracket ||1 extending from frame panel F. Integral with sleeve 60a and projecting outwardly therefrom is a stub shaft 60e (Fig. 22) by which said sleeve may be rotated to reciprocate a later described counter actuating yoke.

The type wheels ||2, etc., have secured to their sides toothed disc ||2, etc., similar to the toothed discs 93, 94, etc., associated with the visible counter wheels. As appears in Fig. 3, the printing kilowatt hour wheels l i2, etc., are arranged in closely spaced relation on the right hand end portion of the shaft 4l I6, just inside the bracket H1, a later described price printing counter being positioned on the left hand portion of said shaft.

Printing kilowatt hour counter |10 is operated by a yoke |20 (Figs. 5 and 22) similar to the yoke of the visible counter, and which has yoke arms surrounding the shaft IIB at the two ends of the counter ||0, as will be understood. This yoke |20 will be understood to carry a multiple pawl |2| (Fig. 22), understood to be similar to the multiplepawl carried by the yoke 80 in all respects, excepting that the order of the pawl teeth is reversed to correspond with the right for left reversal of the printing type wheels.

A link |24 is pivotally connected at its upper and lower ends to extensions |25 and |29 from yokes 80 and l2, respectively, and causes the printing kilowatt hour counter to be actuatedv simultaneously with the actuation of the visible kilowatt hour register, it being of course understood that the printing kilowatt hour counter ||0 is operated by the yoke |20 in a manner exactly analogous to the operation of the visible kilowatt-hour counter' wheels by the yoke 90.

It will thus be seen that the visible kilowatt hour register is actuated by intermittent energization' of the motor M through gear segments 10 and 15 in cooperation with yoke 90, multiple pawl 85, and toothed discs93, et seq., and visibly registers current consumption in terms of kilowatt hours and' tenths, while through link |24 a similar mechanism embodying printing type wheels containing type numerals' corresponding to the visible numerals of the visible counter il Visible and printing price counters Rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft |30, located below and parallel to visible kilowatt hour counter wheel shaft -11,` are the counter wheels |3|, |32, |33 and |34 of a visible price or value counter or register |35 (Figs. 3 and 13). The shaft |30 for this counter or register |35 is journalled near one end in a bearing |36 formed in a bracket |31 extending from panel F, and is journalled at its other end within a sleeve |38 which is in turn journalled in a bearing |39 formed on a second bracket |49 extending from panel F, all as clearly appearing in Figs. 13 and 14. Secured to the sides of counter wheels i30 to |33 are toothed discs |4i, which are identical in design and function to the toothed discs 93, et

seq., and which will be understood to be operated by a yoke and multiple pawl assembly, fragmentarily appearing at |42 in Fig. 13, and understood to be similar in design and function to the yoke 80 and multiple pawl 85. These parts having been already detailed in Figs. 11 and 12, no further illustrationthereof is deemed necessary. The two arms |43 and |44 of this actuating yoke |42 are indicated in Fig. 13 as surrounding the shaft |30 at the two ends of the counter |35, the arm |43 being secured, as by welding, to the end of the sleeve |38 previously described as rotatably mounted in bearing |39.

On the left hand portion of shaft y| |6, immediately to the right of bracket 60, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 22, is a printing price counter |50, comprising a seriesof type wheels |l, |52, |53, and |54, each provided with a toothed disc |55, like the toothed disc 93, et seq., of the visible kilowatt hour counter previously described. Without going into particular detail in the description of the printing price counter |50, it will suffice to note that the printing price counter |50 bears the same structural and functional relationships to the visible price counter |35 that the kilowatt hour printing register ||0 bears to the visible kilowatt hour register, and is operated through the medium of a yoke |56 and multiple pawl |51 (Figs. 22 and 23) similar to theyoke and multiple pawl of the printing kilowatt hour counter l l0. One arm of the yoke |56 is secured to the sleeve 60a, and the yoke is'reciprocated by rotation of the stub shaft 60e integral with said sleeve.

Mounted on the top and on the bottom of the forward end portions of brackets 60 and ||1 and extending horizontally therebetween are frame members 60 and 6| respectively, and secured to and extending vertically between the latter, at the inner or adjacent ends of the two printing counters ||0 and |50, are-Vertical walls |62 and |63, respectively, carrying intermediate bearings |64 and |65 for shaft H6.'

Rate changing mechanism `essarily be of a type from through a computing mechanism which automatipivoted a pawl |16, and a. spring |11 urges this pawl into engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel |18 secured to the shaft 1| as by set screw |19 (Figs. 'l and l0) so that rotation of ratchet wheel |18 imparts rotation to shaft 1 I, it being recalled that gear segment -10 is rotatable on said shaft. A spring actuated detent engages the teeth of ratchet wheel |18 to prevent reverse rotation. There are ten teeth on the ratchet wheel, and each energization of motor M, and consequent down-and-up reciprocation of push rod 68, moves ratchet wheel |18 one tooth or onetenth of a revolution. The actual travel of the pawl |16 is made preferably` slightly more than one-tenth of a revolution in order to assure proper cooperation with the ratchet wheel. The shaft 1| is thus rotated one-tenth of a revolution for each tenth of a kilowatt hour consumed, and accordingly completes one revolution for each kilowatt hour. Driven from this common shaft 1| is a plurality of rotatable actuating elements for the price counters |35 and |50, said elements being, for instance, in the form of cams of differential frequency; for instance, they may be driven at different rates of rotation. Selector mechanism is provided whereby these actuating elements are selected in succession, one at a time, and rendered effective to actuate the counters |35 and |50. The operation of the selector mechanism is preferably under the control of the visible kilowatt hour counter. It should here be mentioned, however, that in fulglling this control function, the kilowatt hour coI ter need not nechich the kilowatts consumed may be read or printed. It is sufficient, in this aspect of the invention, if said counter merely travels proportionately to kilowatt -hours consumed, and be adapted for performance of the control function to be described. The price counter actuating mechanism and selector` mechanism will now be described in more detail.

On shaft 1| is secured a plurality of gears |90, |`9|, |92, and |93 (Fig. 10), of progressively deratios to impart simultaneous but diierential rotation to respective cams |94, |95, |96 and |91 (Figs. 5 and 14), mounted for free rotation on a fixed horizontal shaft 200.

The shaft 200 is supported in the aforementioned frame brackets |31 and |40 and in a third. frame bracket 20| spaced horizontally vfrom bracket |40 (Fig. 14). Rigidly attached to each cam, and rotatable on the shaft 200 with the cam, is a spur gearl205, the gears 205 being in alignment with respective gears to |93 on shaft 1|. The gears |90 to |93 drive the respective cam gears 205 through gear trains comprising pairs of idler gears 206 and 201 rotatably mounted on carrying arms 208 clamped to the fixed shaft 200, the idlers 206 meshing with the drive gears on shaft 1|, and the idlers 201 meshing with the cam gears 205, all as will be readilyl understood from an inspection of Figs. 5, 10 and 14. y A

The gear ratios of the-'cam driving gear trains are so fixed that each cam makes one revolution for each one-cents worth of electrical energy consumed at the various charge rates to be put in effect. 'I'hus the gear train |90, 206, 201 and 205 4.4 revolutions to the cam |94 for every ten reciprocations of the actuating push rod- |24. .In other words, cam |94 rotates through 4.4 revolutions for each kilowatt hour of eleotrical energy consumed, 4.4 revolutions of the cam 94 corresponding with a. charge of 4.4 cents, in accordance with the maximum domestic charge rate assumed. Gear train |9I, 206, 201 and 205 drives cam |95 at a rate of 2.2 revolutions for each ten reciprocations of the actuating push rod |24, or one kilowatt hour. Gear .train |92, 206, 201 and 205 drives cam |96 at a rate of 1.5 revolutions for each kilowatt hour consumed, and gear train |93, 206, 201 and 205 drives cam |91 at a rate of 1.25 revolutions for each kilowatt hour consumed. The last three rates accord with typical decreasing domestic rates applicable-to increased current consumption. The typical rates assumed are as follows: The first thirty-live kilo Watts at 6.044 per kilowatt hour; the next sixtyilve kilowatts at $.022; the next one hundred at 6.015; and all in excess at 9.0125. It may be mentioned at this point that the machine may readily be changed to accord with different rates simply by changing the gears |90 to |93 and idlers working therewith.

Thus all of the cams |94 to |91 `are intermittently rotated, simultaneously, but at different rates of speed. Only one cam at a time, however, is eilective in causing operation of the visible and printing price counters. The means by which the several cams are selectively rendered effective to accomplish operation of the price counters will next be described.

A horizontal shaft 225 arranged coaxially with visible price counter shaft |30 (Fig. 13) is received at one end within the sleeve |33 heretofore described as journaled in bearing |39, and said shaft 225 is journaled at its other end in a bearing 226 formed at the forward end of the aforementioned bracket The end of the shaft 225 received within sleeve |36 carries a transverse pin 221 which engages in a slot 228 in sleeve |38. It being recalled that sleeve |36 is joined to the multiple pawl carrying yoke |112 of the visible price counter, it will be evident that oscillation of the shaft 225 will effect operation of said counter.

Rotatable on shaft 225, and extending from bearing |39 to bearing 226, is a sleeve 225a, and mounted for independent free rotation on sleeve 225a is a series of cam actuated levers 230, 23|, 232 and 233, one for each of the cams |94, et seq. These levers are identical, and a description of one will sumce. The lever carries at its upper end a cam follower roller 240 adapted to engage the edge of the associated cam. A spring 24| secured to a tail piece 242 projecting from the hub of the lever urges the follower roller 240 into engagement with the cam. V Pivotally mounted on the lever, as at 243, is a double armed pawl 245, which is yieldlngly urged in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. 4 and 5 by means of a spring 246, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5.

Also mounted on the sleeve 225a, but tightly secured thereon, is a series of cranks 260, 26|, 232 and 263, one for and adjacent to each of the levers 230, et seq. Reciprocation of any of these cranks will cause corresponding oscillation of the sleeve 225a.

' As will be clear from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 13, the crank associated with each of` the levers is on one side of the lever, while the twoarmed pawl 245 carried by said lever is on the I other s ide thereof; also as clearly shown in said 245. 'Ihe pawl arm 263 being so engaged with the crank pin 265, the crank, and therefore the sleeve 225a to which, the crank is secured, are oscillated with the movement of the lever as its cam follower roller 240 is actuated by the associated cam. This oscillation of the sleeve 225a is translated into operation of the visible price counter |35 in a manner to be presently described.

Normally, the lever 230 is latched by the other arm 263 of the two-armed pawl 245 in aposition (See Fig. '7) in which its cam follower roller 240 is out of the path of the associated cam, the other arm 266 of the two-armed pawl being at such time out of engagement with crank pin 265.

The means on which the pawl arms 268 are latched to hold the levers 230, et seq., out of op erative engagement with their respective cams comprises a two-part horizontally shiftable rate changing device 215 embodying a channel-'shaped bar 216 and a flat plate or blade l211 received and vertically movable in the channel 218 of said bar, the channel 219 opening through the upper edge of bar 216, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 13a. The channel-shaped bar 216 and blade 211 move ion gitudinally as a unit in guides 219a and 219b for a purpose and in a manner hereinafter explained, and the blade is urged vertically away from the bar 216`by coil springs 280 confined in spring barrels 28| secured to opposite ends of bar 216. The lower edge of the bar 216 is wedge-shaped, as appears in Figs. 5 and 13a, and the angular surface 233 so provided is adapted to be engaged by the end 264 of the pawl arm 268 as said pawl arm is moved against it, in such a manner as to depress the pawl arm against its spring 246 and thus per-- mit the pawl yarm to move under and engagein back oi the bar 216 (see the dotted line and iuii line positions of the pawl in Fig. 13h).

The lower edge portion of bar 216 is formed with a plurality of slots or notches 290, 29i, 292 and 293, spaced and adapted, upon horizontal movement of the bar 216 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 13, to register successively with the several pawl arms 266. In the movement of the bar 216 from left to right (position of Fig. 3 to position of Fig. 13), the right hand pawl 268 reg isters first with the notch 290, the second pawl 263 registers next with the notch 29|, and so on. Fig. 3 shows the beginning position, immediately after resetting, in which first notch 290 is still to the left of first pawl arm 263. It will be evident that as each notch 290, 29|, etc., registers with the corresponding pawl arm' 263, said pawl arm becomes released from the bar 216, and is permitted to pass through the notch, the lever carrying the pawl at the same time advancing under the influence of its spring 24| to bring its cam follower roller 240 into operative association with the corresponding cam.

'I'he lower edge of blade 211 has, in line with the notches 290, 29|, etc., downwardly extending v and outwardly displaced lugs 296 (see Fig. 5), the

outer faces of which are precisely flush with the outer face of bar 216. The lower edges of these lugs normally, that is, when the blade is in its uppermost position, clear the path of the pawl arms 268, but when the blade is depressed in the channel in bar 216, in a manner later to be 'described (see Fig. 13b), these lugs close the notches in the bar. As here shown, the lugs 296 are provided at the back with lugs 291, which serve to fill the lower portions of the notches to the rear of the lugs 293 when the blade is depressed, and which also, together with the lugs 296, serve to lock the blade and bar 216 against relative longitudinal displacement (Fig. 13b) As stated above, the beginning position of the bar 216 and the blade 211 is as shown in Fig. 3, and it will be observed that the several notches 290, 29|, etc. are displaced by progressively increased distances to the left of the corresponding pawl arms 268. And in such position, all of said pawl arms are latched on the bar 216, so that the levers 230, 23|, etc., carrying the pawl arms 268 1 are all supported with their cam follower rollers 240 out of the paths ofthe cams, as in Figs. 4 and 14. Under the control of means subsequently to be described, the bar 216 and blade 2,11 are shifted at predetermined totals of electrical energy consumed to bring the notches 290, 29|, etc., into successive register with the several pawls 268, whereby said pawls are released one at a time by said bar and travel through the notches to -permit the corresponding cam lever to bring its cam follower roller 240 into operative association with the corresponding cam.

The several cams |94, |95, |96 and |91 are all of the same shape, and a description of the cam |94 appearing in Fig. 5 will suiice for all. As will be seen in Fig. 5, the camhas a portion 30| of rapidly increasing radius, and a substantially radial drop-oil portion 302 extending inwardly from the maximum radius end of cam portion 30|. The cam rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, and it will be evident that when the cam |94 has rotated a short distance beyond the position shown in Fig. 5, the follower roller 240 will descend along cam portion 302, the spring actuated lever 290 rocking downwardly, as to the position shown in Fig. 5a. For a reason which will appear hereinafter, it is generally desirable that the cam be so shaped as to elevate the lever 230 rather rapidly, particularly during the latter portion of upward travel. For this reason, the cam portion 30| is preferably made relatively steep toward its end.

As previously stated, when/the pawl arm 268 is released from bar 216 by reason of notch 290 registering therewith. the spring A246 actsto cause pawl arm 266 to engage the pin 265 on crank 260. Said crank is thereby locked to lever 230, and hence oscillates with the cam-controlled oscillation of the lever. The sleeve 225a on which the cranks are tightly mounted oscillates correspondingly.

Just outside bearing 226, sleeve 225a, carries a depending arm Sill, tightly secured on the sleeve, and formed at its lower end with an outwardly bent lug 3| Extending upwardly from arm 3|0 is a stop arm 3|2, adapted to engage against a stop conveniently afforded by the side of the guide member 219e. Such engagement limits downward movement of the crank arms, and therefore of the cam levers, to the position inclicated in Fig. 5a. Thus, the cam |94 having rotated from the position shown in Fig. 5 to such a position as shown in Fig. 5a, the lever 230 and crank 260 will have dropped to the position of Fig. 5a, such position being established by engagement of stop arm 3|2 with stop 3|3. As cam |94 then continues to rotate, it will eventually pick up follower roller 240 and elevate the lever 230 and crank arm 260 back toward the position of Fig. 5. During such elevational travel of crank arm 260, arm 3 0 on crank arm sleeve 225a moves toward the position illustrated in Fig. 8, finally engaging a lug 3|5 on the tip of the lower arm 3|6 of a trip lever 3|1 pivotally mounted at 3|8 on a bracket 3|9 secured to the side of and spaced from bracket 20|.

The upperlarm 320 of trip lever 3| 1 has an outwardly bent lug 32| whose lower edge normally engages over the end portion of arm 322 of bell crank 323 (Figf 7), the latter being pivotally mounted at 324 on the inner face of an oscillat- 1 ing plate 325 which is tightly mounted on the extremity of shaft 225. 'I'he other arm 326 of bell crank 324 carries a pin 321 which projects through an arcuate slot 328 in plate 325. Bell crank 323 is vnormally urged tothe relative position shown in Fig. 8 by means of a spring 330 connected between it and the plate 325, its pin 321 at' such time being at the left-hand end of slot 328', as viewed in the aspect of Figs. 7 and 8. In the position of Fig. 7, the bell crank 323 is being4 held, against the iniiuence of spring 330, in position with its pin" 321 at the other or right 4hand end of slot 328 by the lug 32| of trip lever 3|1,

which lug at such time overrides the arm 3220i/ bell crank and holds the latter in such position against its spring 330.

335 which projects through an arcuate slot 336 in bracket 3|9, and a coil spring 331 connected between said pin 335 and bracket 3|9 yieldingly urges the trip lever toward the position illustrated the left-hand end of the slot 336.

The previously described movement of the arm 3 0 in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 7 and`8 results finally in engagement of trip lever 3|1 by said arm, and movement of the trip lever from theposition of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 8, in which trip lever lug 32| has 'cleared bell crank arm 322, and the latter, under the influence of its spring 330, then moves to the position shown in Fig. 8. f

Tightly mounted on shaft 1| oscillated by gear sector 10 and normally extending downwardly and somewhat forwardly from said shaft, is a bifurcated arm 350, which receives a pin 35| set in the end of the upper arm 352 of a bell crank 353 pivotally mounted at 354 on bracket 3|9.

The other arm 355 0f bell crank 353 has pivotally mounted thereon, as at 356, a hook member 351, and said hookmember carries a pin 358 which projects under arm 355 so as to engage the latter and thereby serve as a stop against clockwise rotation of the hook member relative to the bell crank beyond the position shown in Fig. 7. A spring 359 connected between said pin 358 and arm 355 holds the hook member yieldingly in the position of Fig. 7 with the pin 358 in engagement with the underside of arm 355, as described.

Fig. 7 shows the normal position of the lastdescribed parts. Upon eachenergization of the motor M, rod 68 reciprocates the gear sector 10,

arm 350 and hook-carrying bell crank'353 between the two extreme positions shown in Figs.v 7 and 8. The hook 351 is so positioned that in the course of this action it clears the pin 321 pro- 50 jecting from bell crank 323 if the bell crank re- -mains in the position of Fig. 7. However, if trip lever 3|1 has previously been moved,.so as to release bell crank 323, and the latter has accordingly moved to the position shown in Fig. 8, then said pin 321 is in the path of the hook member and will be engaged thereby. 0n the upstroke of the hook member under such conditions (down- 'stroke of push rod and gear sector 10), the hook, member may engage pin 321 at its sloping end portion 364, but will be moved somewhat in a counterclockwise direction, against spring 359, to permit pin 321 to be passed. Thenon the return or downstroke of the hook member (upstroke of rod 68 and gear sector 10), hook mem'- ber 351 engages pin 321, and moves said pin, to-

in Figs. 7 and 9a, with the pin 335 located against The upper arm 320 of trip lever 3|1 has a pin lever 3|1.

direction to the position shown in Fig. 9. This I movement o f plate 325 rocks shaft 225 on which said plate is tightly mounted, andfit being recalled that the multiple-pawl carrying yoke for the visible price counter |35 is directly operated by shaft 225, results in one actuation of said counter. Plate 325 is connected by a link 36|) tol an arm 36| tightly mounted on the shaft 66e which operates the yoke |56 carrying the multiple pawl for the printing price counter |56. 'I'hus the printing price counter is actuated simultaneously with the actuation of the visible price counter.

The parts then remain in the position of Fig. 9 until the next energization of motor M, at which time gear sector 16 is again lowered and bell crank A353 rocked in a counterclockwise direction back toward its position as shown in Fig. 8. During this movement of bell crank 353, the lower arm 355 thereof engages a pin 362 projecting from plate 325 and so elevates the latter backto the position of Fig. 7. In the course of this action, arm 322 of bell crank 323 engages lug 32| of trip lever 3| 1, and is caused thereby to lswing relatively to plate 325 to the position shown in Fig. 7. On the return or upstroke of gear segment 16, bell crank 353 is then rocked back to the `position of Fig. 7, its hook member 351 clearing pin 321 carried by bell crank 323 since said pin is now at the right hand end of its slot 326, it being understood that the bell crank 323 is now again held in the position of Fig. 7 by trip lever 3 I1.

Thus, assuming bar 216 to have been shifted to position with one voi its notches 296, 29|, etc., to a. position of register with the corresponding pawl arm 266, so that the said pawl-arm has released the corresponding pawl carrying lever to move into operative association with the corresponding cam, and also so that the pawl arm 266 becomes locked through pin 265 to the corresponding crank 26D, 26|, etc., periodic energization of motor M, and the accompanying oscillation of gear segment 16 and of bell crank 353, has no effect insofar as operation'of the visible and printing price counters is concerned until the cam has lifted the lever and crank associated therewith suiciently to cause arm 3|1! to trip The next energization of motor M, however, results in the hook member 351 carried by bell crank 353 engaging the pin 3 21 and so rocking plate 325 in a downward direction, thereby effecting a registering stroke of the counter operating devices. The next succeeding energization of motor M then returns the oscillating plate 325 to its original position, and resets the pin-carrying bell crank 323 and trip lever 3|1. lBy this time, the tip, or maximum radius portion, of the actuating cam has passed the follower roller 246 carried by the associatedlever, and the latter, together with the corresponding crank, have been moved by spring 24| back down to a position in which the arm 3|0 is retracted to the position indicated in a. Further energize.- tions of the motor M then resultin further progressive rotation of the cam, but without actuation of the plate 325 to register another unit on the counters until the cam has again elevated the follower roller and lever, together With the a'ssociated crank, sufciently to bring about another actuation of trip lever 3|1 and release of bell crank 323.

It will be observed that while the several cams |94, et. seq., functionv as the actuating elements tor the price counters, acting in cooperation with the released cam levers and associated parts to bring about operation of the price counters, the

actual power for moving the price counters is in the above described embodiment of the invention derived not from the train of cams but from the reciprocating parts 68, 16, 350, 353, and 351 driven directly from motor M. Thus while the cams actuate theprice counters in the sense of causing their operation by the prime mover (motol` M), the power for moving the counters is not transmitted through the cams. vIn later indicat- 'ed modifications, the cams may not only actuate the counters but 'drive them as well, or the coun*- ers may' be advanced by 'spring action, and moved through their return stroke by the cams.

It will be evident that the number of energizetions of motor M necessary to cause each such described actuation of the price counters depends upon the rate of angular rotation imparted to the particular cam corresponding to the particular pawl arm 268, which has been released by regis tration therewith of a notch in bar 216. And the rates of angular rotation imparted to the different cams being all dierent, it will thus be evident that the price registered on the counters will be governed by which of the notches 230, 23|, 292, and 233 in the Ibar 216 has been registered with a pawl arm 266.`

In accordance with the invention, the bar 216 is periodically shifted under the control of the visible kilowatt hour register or counter. its seen best in Fig. 13, the upper edge of the blade 211 of ratechanging device 215 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs 316, which are adapted to perform a 'functional cooperation l with sets of uniformly spaced selector iianges 31| mounted between the counter Wheels of the visible kilowatt hour register in a manner now to be described. On the shaft 11 of the visible kilowatt hour counter or register, which will be recalled to support for free rotation the counter wheel and toothed disc 95 (Figs. lil, i5 and 16) as Well. as their counter parts in the series, is rotatably mounted a series of hubs 312, one immediately to the left of each of the counter wheels, except the last counter wheel, as clearly appears in Fig. 13.

Asbest seen in Figs. 15 and 16, the right hand end portions of these hubs, including circumferential end flanges 313 formed on the hubs, are received for free rotation in annular recesses 314 sunk in the sides of the adjacent counter Wheels. Each hub is rotatably driven by the associated counter Wheel, as 95', through the medium of a. spring'316, the tail of which projects through a hole 311 in the hub and a registering hole 316 in the ,counter wheel. The opposite end of said spring depresses a pawl 360 pivoted on a pin 36| set into the end wall or web 396 of hub 312, causing the wedge-shaped end portion of one arm of the pawl to seat in an angular notch 362 of shaft 11. The purpose of this pawl will appear hereinafter in connection with a description of the resetting mechanism.

On each hub 312 is positioned a series of rings 385 on which. are formed the aforementioned annular flanges 31|, there being one such ring and ange corresponding to each of the notches 296, 29|, et seq., in rate-changing bar 216. The rings 365 are freely rotatable on hub 312 for adjustment purposes, and are positioned thereon in end to end engagement, as illustrated. Each ring 365 is provided with a series of ten equally spaced holes 386, and is secured in adjusted position upon the hub 312 for rotation therewith by the tail 366 

